Cited by 499Gastrointestinal motility and disordersGut microbiota and healthMicroscopic Colitis

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

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Posserud, Iris, Stotzer, Per-Ove, Björnsson, Einar S, Abrahamsson, Hasse, Simrén, Magnus·2007·Gut

Abstract

Background: Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) has been proposed to be common in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), with altered small-bowel motility as a possible predisposing factor. Aim: To assess the prevalence of SIBO, by culture of small-bowel aspirate, and its correlation to symptoms and motility in IBS. Methods: 162 patients with IBS who underwent small-bowel manometry and culture of jejunal aspirate were included. Cultures from 26 healthy subjects served as controls. Two definitions of altered flora were used: the standard definition of SIBO (⩾10 5 colonic bacteria/ml), and mildly increased counts of small-bowel bacteria (⩾95th centile in controls). Results: SIBO (as per standard definition) was found in 4% of both patients and controls. Signs of enteric dysmotility were seen in 86% of patients with SIBO and in 39% of patients without SIBO (p = 0.02). Patients with SIBO had fewer phase III activities (activity fronts) than patients without SIBO (p = 0.08), but otherwise no differences in motility parameters were seen. Mildly increased bacterial counts (⩾5×10 3 /ml) were more common in patients with IBS than in controls (43% vs 12%; p = 0.002), but this was unrelated to small intestinal motility. No correlation between bacterial alterations and symptom pattern was observed. Conclusions: The data do not support an important role for SIBO according to commonly used clinical definitions, in IBS. However, mildly increased counts of small-bowel bacteria seem to be more common in IBS, and needs further investigation. Motility alterations could not reliably predict altered small-bowel bacterial flora.

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Crossref · 10.1136/gut.2006.108712

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  • Studies using small intestinal aspiration, considered the gold standard for diagnosing small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, have not demonstrated an increased prevalence of the condition in suspected IBS, and the lactulose breath test correlates poorly with small intestinal aspiration.

    “Studies using small intestinal aspiration, considered the gold standard for diagnosing small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, have not demonstrated an increased prevalence of the condition in suspected IBS, 143 and the lactulose breath test correlates poorly with small intestinal aspiration.144”
  • Preliminary studies suggest that more irritable bowel syndrome patients have small intestinal bacterial overgrowth when a lower cut-off of greater than 10^3 cfu/ml is used, but well-designed studies are needed.

    “Preliminary studies suggest that more IBS patients have SIBO when a lower cut-off of >103 cfu/ml is used but well-designed studies are needed.82 85”
  • When a lower cutoff concentration of at least 10^4 cfu/ml was used, significant differences were observed, suggesting increased numbers of bacteria in the small intestine of patients with IBS.

    “However, when a lower cutoff concentration of ≥104 cfu/ml was used, significant differences were observed, suggesting increased numbers of bacteria in the small intestine of patients with IBS.”
  • Using the historical definition of SIBO as at least 10^5 cfu/ml, bacterial cultures of aspirates from IBS patients compared with healthy volunteers showed no statistically significant differences in the incidence of SIBO.

    “Using this definition, a study of bacterial cultures of aspirates from patients with IBS compared with cultures from healthy volunteers showed no statistically significant differences in the incidence of SIBO (141).”

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [4]4. McCallum R, Schultz C, Sostarich S. Evaluating the role of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in diarrhea predominant IBS (IBS-D) patients utilizing the glucose breath test. Gastroenterology 2005;128:T1118.

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Authors
Posserud, I., Stotzer, P.-O., Björnsson, E. S., Abrahamsson, H., & Simrén, M.
Affiliations
Sahlgrenska University Hospital (SE)
Venue
Gut
Publisher
BMJ
Published
2006-12-05
Volume
56
Issue
6
Pages
802-808
ISSN
  • 0017-5749 (ISSN-L)
  • 1468-3288
OpenAlex
W2120896017
Cited by
499
References
53
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 29 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 34 · 2014: 35 · 2013: 31 · 2012: 31
FWCI
28.64
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Gut (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
Funders
Medical Research Council
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Microscopic Colitis
Keywords
small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, irritable bowel syndrome, small intestine motility, SIBO prevalence
MeSH terms
Adult, Aged, Anti-Bacterial Agents, Bacteria, Bacterial Infections, Breath Tests, Constipation, Diarrhea, Female, Gastrointestinal Motility, Humans, Intestine, Small, Jejunum, Male, Manometry, Middle Aged, Treatment Outcome, Irritable Bowel Syndrome

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